Alex Eala and world No. 9 Victoria Mboko of Canada join forces as they face Diana Shnaider of Russia and Filipino-Canadian netter Leylah Fernandez in the first round of the women’s doubles of the French Open on Tuesday.
The time of the match has yet to be announced as Eala, who turned 21 on Saturday, guns for double trophies in this prestigious Grand Slam tournament.
It will be the first time for Eala and the 19-year-old Mboko to join hands after facing each other last year in the Hong Kong Open.
The Rafael Nadal Academy graduate is also slated to face world No. 18 Iva Jovic of the United States in the Round of 128 on Monday.
Entering the Roland Garros Stadium in Paris, Eala is expected to reach No. 37 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings and will rise even higher regardless of the result.
After a string of early exits and practice, Eala believes she has gotten a hang of the clay surface as she hopes to make an impact in the second Grand Slam of the year.
“Well, I definitely feel more prepared than last year. I think I have improved a lot on this surface. Of course, I have such a long way to go, but I think I’ve improved a lot in the past year as a player, and it’s truly helped me manage the challenges that come with the surface for me,” Eala said.
“I think I’m super excited for this week. I mean, we do the preparation, obviously, to arrive at the Grand Slam as well. So I’m feeling good, I’m happy, and there’s nothing on the line, nothing to lose.”